This invention relates generally to an insulated container and, more particularly, is directed to an insulated container formed of an outer shell or jacket and an insulated insert supported therein.
It is sometimes desirable to group or align in a row modern insulating containers such as bellied coffee containers with conventional non-insulating containers. The insulating containers can thus be used along with valuable and antique conventional containers, as well as with porcelain containers, without visual disturbance or detection, even though the insulating containers are made of modern plastic.
Two problems are encountered in the manufacture of such an insulating container, however. One problem is the manufacture of the outer surface of the container with a belling-out or convexity. Known shaping processes for making a plastic outer shell can be used, but they are very expensive when the outer surface has a pronounced convexity because the forms for producing the outer shell must be injection molded. A second problem is that the insulating insert, which has the same convexity as the plastic outer shell, must be inserted into the outer shell from below. Usually, a section of the outer shell forming a floor is removed from the belling or convexity of the outer shell for such purpose.
In order to deal with such problems, it has been proposed to cut the outer shell at the point of largest diameter thereby to form a seam. Such a seam provides the simplest method of manufacturing the outer shell with the desired convexity while permitting the introduction of the insulating insert into the shell. The seam, however, is quite visible and is disturbing because it is located in the visually exposed region of the convexity of the outer shell. An objectionable seam has been considered unavoidable, however.